Pre-Season Conditioning

The key to a successful track and field season can be made or broken in the first 35% of the season. Most training theorist state that the general preparatory facet of the season should be between thirty and forty percent of the overall season. Whether the athlete participates in high school outdoor track and only has an eight week season, or if the athlete is an NCAA All-American and can practice for nine months, the 30-40% concept must be abided by.

A coach must recognize that a high quality and well planned pre or early season conditioning program will determine the rate of success for the upcoming competitive season. Therefore, the objective of this article is to identify potential plans for a pre-season conditioning program.

One dilemma that a high school coach has is that the size and ability level of a roster may make it quite difficult to create workouts for each individual involved in the program. Circuit training is a way which may afford the coach the opportunity to create a conditioning program that will allow each athlete involved in the program the flexibility to improve without risking injury. Circuit training will also allow the coach to have a large group of athletes working out at the same time in a controlled environment.

The coach needs to recognize that during pre-season conditioning there are four primary areas which need to be developed for any track and field athlete. The lower body, the hip flexors, the abdomen (Truck), and the upper body. Listed below are a variety of exercises which the coach may utilize to develop these four important areas. Once the exercises for a particular body part have been identified, circuits may be created in order to rapidly and safely work on that particular facet.

The circuits should be timed rather than designating a specific quantity to each exercise, therefore each athlete will have the opportunity to work within their own athletic ability. An example of this would be the creation of an abdomen circuit. Make the circuit timed by suggesting 30 seconds on 30 seconds off for each exercise.

Abdomen Circuit 30 On 30 Off

A coach can establish the same type of workout with In Place Jumps for the legs, with Medicine Ball throwing for the upper body and abdomen, and with General Strength Circuits for the Upper Body.

Circuit Training is an important part of the overall training season. If the hard work is done in the first 30-40% of the season, the athlete will have the base to allow for a successful season. By creating circuits for the pre-season conditioning facet of the season, the coach will be able to improve the fitness level of the entire team without risking injury to any one individual, as the athletes will be allowed to work within the parameters of their existing fitness.